29 Day Explore Ethiopia

A Complete Addis Ababa Travel Experience

Day 2: Begin your Addis Ababa travel experience and head to Bahir Dar. Spend next 2 nights staying on the shores of Lake Tana, and right at the source of the Blue Nile.

Day 3: This morning, take a boat cruise on Lake Tana, heading to a Monastery located on the peninsula. Here a guide will show you through the complex, explaining the murals and decorations that cover theOrthodox Church.

This afternoon, we head out for a walk to the spectacular Blue Nile falls.

Day 4: Today we travel to Gondar. Situated close to the border of Sudan, Gondar is home to some of Ethiopia’s oldest castles.

Day 5: Explore Gondar with a guide this morning. Visit the Fasil Castle complex, Three Trinity Cathedral and the site of the ancient Baths.

Included Activities: Gondar ½ day City Tour

Day 6: Today we head into the Simien Mountains, one of the major mountain regions of Africa, home to RasDejen, the 4th highest peak on the continent at 4543m. This National Park is home to the famous Gelada Baboons, gentle creatures that will allow you to get up close and personal, unlike other baboon species. We will be camping in the National Park for the next 2 nights.

Included Activities: Hiking

Day 7: Spend the day hiking the mountains, meeting the locals and searching for the elusive Ethiopian Wolf and Walia Ibex. The jagged peaks and high mountain ranges make for some spectacular views.

Included Activities: Hiking

Day 8: This afternoon, head down the mountains for a night in Debark, the small town which is the gateway to the Simien National Park

Included Activities: Hiking

Day 9: Today we journey to Axum, which is the site of Ethiopia’s oldest city and was home to the Queen of Sheba. Axum also claims to house the original Ark of the Covenant.

Day 10: This morning, take a half day tour of Axum. Head to the ruins of the Queen of Sheba’s palace,and learn some of the fascinating history behind this ancient city.

Visit the Axum Stelea in the centre of town where the highest obelisk carved out of a single block of granite stands at 23m tall.

Included Activities: Axum ½ day City Tour

Day 11: We leave Axum this morning for Mekele. Dated as far back as the 13th century, Mekele is famous the rock-hewn churches of Tigray. These churches are often carved into cliff faces and pre-existing caves, and offer a great example of past engineering feats that were possible without modern technology.

Day 12: Take the day to explore the city, including Yohanese IV Palace and DergtheTigrayan People’s Liberation Front Monument.

Day 13: Today we head to Lalibela. This medieval town is home to 13 monolithic churches, hewn from rock in the 12th century.

Day 14: Spend the day visiting the rock hewn churches.

Included Activities: Churches Tour

Day 15: Leaving Lalibela this morning, we head back to the capital of Addis Ababa for the next two nights.

Day 16: Today is a free day to explore the city. Recommended sights are The Holy Trinity Cathedral complex which is the final resting place of Emperor Haile Selassie and the Ethnological Museum, situated in Haile Selassie’s former palace and surrounded by the beautiful gardens and fountains of the Addis Ababa University.

Day 17: Today is a driving day with a stopover night at Lake Ziway.

Day 18: This morning you will head into the Bale Mountains National Park where you will meet your guides and horses for the next 2 days.

This National Park is home to the largest population of the endemic and endangered Ethiopian wolf and Mountain Nyala as well as the Bale monkey and giant mole rat. (Camping) (D)

Included Activities: Horse riding, hiking

Day 19: Spend the day exploring the Bale Mountains on horseback.

Included Activities: Horse riding, hiking

Day 20: This morning say goodbye to the mountains and head for Lake Hawassa.

Day 21: Take today to relax by the lake. Enjoy some bird watching and head to Wendo Genet for a soak in the hot pools.

Included Activities: Wendo Genet hot pools

Day 22: Depart Lake Hawassa for Arba Minch. Meaning ‘forty springs’, Arba Minch takes its namefrom the streams found between the two Rift Valleylakes of Abaya and Chamo. Lake Chamois home to the Guji and Ganjule peoplewho traditionally hunt hippos.

Day 23: Head into NechiSar National Park and enjoy the morning wandering through the trees and along the meandering river. This afternoon, take a lake cruise and see the hippos before enjoying sunset over Lake Chamo

Day 24: Today we head into the South Omo Valley, one of the major highlights of our trip. This unusual region is home to a number of very different tribes living close together but each with their own unique traditions and customs. It is believed the differences came about as thousands of years ago the region was a major crossroads as the different tribes migrated throughout Africa.

Day 25: Today is spent visiting the villages of the Dascensch and Hamer tribes. Both tribes are very different and you will have the opportunity to photograph and learn more about these unique cultures.

Included Activities: Visiting the Descensch and Hamer Tribes

Day 26: This morning head to Jinka, the gateway town for visiting the famous Mursi Tribe.

Day 27: One of the definite highlights of Ethiopia, we visit the Mursi (or Mun) Tribe. Famous for their lip plates which are a sign of beauty, these herders live in one of the most isolated regions in Ethiopia. For a small fee per photo, the men and women of the tribe are happy to pose for photos, but be aware that they can get offended quite easily and at times can come across quite aggressive.

Included Activities: Visiting the Mursi Tribe

Day 28: This morning we leave the Omo Valley behind and drive to Konso for our final night in south Ethiopia.

Day 29: This morning we leave Knoso to Ariba Minch and end our Addis Ababa travel experience where we started a month ago. Final day (Dinner at the traditional club in Addis)